Windows Phone 8 thinks smartphones have DVD drives

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You might already be aware that one of the biggest changes within Windows Phone 8 was the arrival of the NT kernel. That change allowed Microsoft to bring over loads of additional code from Windows 8, including Secure Boot and BitLocker encryption, as well as some pretty big chunks of Internet Explorer 10 — which provided a nice mobile browsing boost to WP8.

Apparently, the kernel brought a few other desktop bits with it, including the Windows Recovery screens. And when Windows Phone 8 fails to start, it asks you to pop in your Windows installation disc just like it would on a desktop or laptop. Don’t worry if you can’t locate your disc. As Microsoft always recommends in situations like this, you can also contact your friendly local admin or the company that manufactured your computer for assistance.

Clearly the screen we see here is foreshadowing the next generation of Windows Phone devices, which are obviously going to feature 8cm slot-load DVD drives. Full-sized drives would be great, but they’d add just a bit too much bulk.

All joking aside, it’s impressive to think that so much of the Windows 8 core is present in Windows Phone as well. That parity should make it easier for Microsoft to maintain a seamless experience across its desktop and mobile platforms in the future.

Lest you think the screen was staged by security expert Mikko Hypponnen (who shared the image above on his Twitter feed), it’s appeared for other Windows Phone users as well. It’s not device-specific either: the recovery screen has popped up on everything from a Nokia 920 to the HTC 8s. Some have seen it after becoming stuck in a reboot loop while others were trying to load modified firmware when the message appeared.